to believe in, why believe in the bible at all? Since you know a) most of it is myth and b) it was written by fallible people, why stick to it at all? Doesn't the fact that you have to resort to picking and choosing suggest it's a pretty whacked book and not the "inspired word of god?"
2007-06-12 06:45:32 · 13 answers · asked by Mom 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Due to the fact that these
Christians use the Protestant Old Testament which is lacking 7 entire books 2 (Tobias, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus/Sirach, Baruch, I Maccabees, and II Maccabees), 3 chapters of Daniel and 6 chapters of Esther may be one of the reasons they ask catholics so many questions.
For the Sola Scriptura this is too bad .
In the 16th c., Luther removed those books from the canon that lent support to orthodox doctrine, relegating them to an appendix. Removed in this way were books that supported such things as:
prayers for the dead (Tobit 12:12; 2 Maccabees 12:39-45),
Purgatory (Wisdom 3:1-7),
intercession of dead saints (2 Maccabees 15:14),
and intercession of angels as intermediaries (Tobit 12:12-15).
The lesson, though, is this: relying on the "Bible alone" is a bad idea; we are not to rely solely on Sacred Scripture to understand Christ's message. While Scripture is "given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16-17), it is not sufficient for reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness. It is the Church that is the "pillar and ground of Truth" (1 Timothy 3:15)! Jesus did not come to write a book; He came to redeem us, and He founded a Sacramental Church through His apostles to show us the way. It is to them, to the Church Fathers, to the Sacred Deposit of Faith, to the living Church that is guided by the Holy Spirit, and to Scripture that we must prayerfully look.
2007-06-14 15:41:35 · answer #1 · answered by cashelmara 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I pick & choose from the Bible, because at least 1300 years ago, some people wrote down a Christian oral history, & picked & chose which books to leave in, & which to leave out. I've read the New Testament of the Bible, the Gospel of Mary Magdalene (left out), the Gospel of Thomas (left out), and I leave out mostly the Gospels of Paul. I pay special attention to the words of Jesus, as he is my favorite prophet.
2007-06-12 08:17:37 · answer #2 · answered by DCFN 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no, the fact that we pick and choose suggests that we are mere mortals who are imperfect.
To answer your original question though, I concentrate on the 'meat' of the bible... what must I do to be saved? In learning the bible you will understand that there is a difference in the bible before Christ and the bible after Christ's fullfillment of the law. Because he fulfilled these laws for me, I don't have to pick and choose, life is much easier now!
2007-06-12 06:55:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I consider myself a liberal Christian and I do not pick and choose. I try and obey the whole Bible. Are you talking about people who are hateful to gay people or others? Not all people who claim to be Christians are truly Christian.
You shouldn't generalize. I am against abortion but believe that if a woman makes that choice the issue is between her and God. I am for giving people other alternatives to abortion and for education.
I think being gay goes against the Bible but I have wonderful gay friends whom I love dearly. I wish thier lifestyle was other than it is but again that is between them and God. No human is fit to judge, only God can do that.
I vote mainly Democrat and believe we don't do enough for the poor in this country.
It is indeed the true Word of God and for those who pick and choose, they will answer to the author. Not for me (or you) to judge.
2007-06-12 06:53:41 · answer #4 · answered by Sylvia G 3 · 5⤊ 0⤋
The fundamentalists pick and choose too...only, they do not admit it...
They point at one verse to condemn others...but, when a verse points at them, they give all of the historical memorzied context to which it belongs to justify the verse as not meant to have been taken literal.
My faith is in God...not in man,man's religion, or even man's Bible...I do believe it is the inspired word of God...but, written by humans...I have faith that one day God will reveal all to us.
2007-06-12 07:02:29 · answer #5 · answered by G.C. 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i'm a liberal Christian. And this is why i'm liberal: the Bible is a help to my faith. that's no longer my faith. My faith is predicated on the pass of the residing God in my existence. Its approximately me and God and how he needs me to pass. The Bible is an magnificent help and that i does no longer prefer to be without it. yet, to me, faith, based on the Bible by myself, is hollow. additionally, and greater on your question: i do no longer %. and choose. i've got studied it for some years and function discovered what's background, what's ethical metaphor, and what's non secular metaphor (in many cases concerning activities that would somewhat be defined by utilizing technological know-how). sure, there are areas that are literal. yet there are great areas that are no longer. And it is not me in basic terms pull this out of my in the back of. it is each and all the consequence of years and years of biblical scholarship. i might extra project you to end questioning of atheists as "unequal" in any regard. i might remind you, sister, that to think of of any human as "unequal" in any regard isn't Christ-like. peace
2016-10-09 01:36:52 · answer #6 · answered by wave 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You forget there are a lot of good things in the Bible - in particular Jesus' words. Love thy enemies, turn the other cheek, etc...surely these are worth studying. Not to mention immediately practical in everyday life.
~ Eric Putkonen
2007-06-12 06:57:04 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
People will interpret the Word and the "correct" lifestyles as they wish. Rarely does anyone base their life choices on what anyone preaches in a internet chat room.
As for sticking to the Bible, isn't that about the hardest thing in the world to accomplish? Aren't we all sinners?
Fortunately for us, we are forgiven. Jesus forgives our sins and loves us unconditionally. He proved it when He died on the cross to wash away our sins.
So, why do we continue to sin? Because we are human and are all sinners! We are sinning when we judge anyone who doesn't live up to our expectations or level of intensity. We sin when we look down at anyone who is lower than us and fails to try harder. We sin when we show anger at other drivers that drive differently than we do...(I am a big offender).
Can you be more tolerant of me while I am striving to please God? I promise to be more tolerant of you, as well.
Peace to you always
2007-06-12 06:59:25 · answer #8 · answered by joe_on_drums 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree there are good parts to the bible, yet people who have never read the bible can also be good people who love their neighbors and help those in need. We don't need the bible to be good people. Yet people use the bible to act viciously and nastily to people who are different (gays, atheists, women in some cases, etc.) and only use the horrible parts.
2007-06-12 07:03:15 · answer #9 · answered by Mi Atheist Girl 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
How do you know anyone picks and chooses?
Yes, the book is whacked and NOT the word of God.
2007-06-12 06:52:11 · answer #10 · answered by Gorgeoustxwoman2013 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋